RV Dealers

NEST Caravan By Airstream Coming Early 2018

Update: Coming Spring of 2018, this highly compact fiberglass travel trailer is a perfect fit within the Airstream line, continuing their reputation for legendary durability, fine attention to detail, timeless design, and innovative features. This molded fiberglass segment of the RV industry has occurred through the acquisition of NEST Caravans by Airstream. An innovative and forward-thinking move for the company, seeing the steady interest in smaller trailers with lighter weight and classic as well as highly classy features.

The 16-foot NEST, built by designer and fiberglass expert Robert Johans, was created in 2013 (and completed just a year ago) to appeal to “adventurous empty nesters” and younger “Dwell magazine readers who have a more sophisticated palette and higher expectations,” Johans explained.

NEST designer and fiberglass expert Robert Johans

The NEST is the brainchild of Johans, President and Lead Designer of the Bend, Oregon based company. After moving to Bend in 2006, Johans started a fiberglass trailer restoration business called The Egg Plant. It was his time spent restoring and modernizing Scamps, Bolers, Trilliums, and other fiberglass “egg” trailers where he envisioned creating his own offering to the fiberglass trailer market, and thus the NEST Caravan company was born.

The molded components and interior appointments of the prototype NEST convey a minimalist, European appeal. “Design is everything,” said Johans about his trailer, built in Central Oregon. “Design, innovation and quality. We’re taking the industry forward with clean, contemporary, automotive styling. NEST looks perfectly appropriate behind your nice car.” Towable by even a mid-size SUV, and clearly thought out for today’s end-user.

“NEST is a product that conveys sophistication, simplicity, and upscale modernity,” stated Airstream President Bob Wheeler in a press release issued by Airstream, Inc. “It made sense for us to partner and help bring this design to market.”

Expect Airstream to make some changes to the original model. “I think it’s their intention to do some in-house redesign,” said Johans. Airstream will embrace their own design, production, and sales methodologies for the NEST,” he emphasized.

After acquiring Oregon-based NEST Caravans last month, Airstream plans to start producing its own versions of the start-up company’s aerodynamic, all-fiberglass, 16-foot-long travel trailers. The stylish trailers are light enough to be towed by mid-size SUVs, crossover vehicles or light-duty trucks and easy to maneuver without jacking up fuel costs.

With modern accommodations like LED lighting, stainless steel appliances and a queen-size bed, the “bright and comfortable” interiors of the two-tone trailers boast features that were “carefully selected for form, fit and function.” *Updated: The 40-cu ft (1,133-L) wet bathroom includes a Thetford Porta Potti Curve toilet and a Scandvik shower. The greater plumbing system is composed of an Alde space/water heater, 20-US gal (76-l) fresh and grey water tanks, and Shurflo water pump.

Airstream first became interested in the trailers when photos of prototypes appeared online in 2013, and company executives paid a visit to NEST’s headquarters to evaluate the 16′ 7″ x 6′ 6″ x 8′ 2″ models in-person last year before finalizing the purchase.

“We’ve been imagining a small, well-thought-out fiberglass travel trailer for quite some time and are very confident about its potential,” says Airstream president Bob Wheeler. “NEST is a product that conveys sophistication, simplicity, and upscale modernity, so it made sense for us to partner and help bring this design to market.”

The NEST is rear entry, monocoque bodied, 2400 pounds, and is 16’8″ from hitch to tail. It is by far an upscale offering as molded fiberglass campers go. According to the NEST Caravans website, the price on a base model starts at $29,995 and goes up from there, depending on additional options. Perhaps when Airstream gets them into mass production, that price may be a little lower, but when it comes to the price of any Airstream, that’s really anyone’s guess.

Pricing and exact availability dates for Airstream’s version of the NEST haven’t been announced, but the company anticipates hiring 50 new employees to meet anticipated demand.

Can’t wait to see Airstream’s NEST incarnation when it comes out next summer.

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so with the rerelease of the Airstream Basecamp at $40k will Airstream even bother to sell the Nest?

Karen

Scotty,
Great question. As far as we know, the Airstream Basecamp and Nest are in niches of their own. The Basecamp’s 1st incarnation was ill-timed, and a redesign was needed when the market finally looked right. The Basecamp of 2016 is for a very active lifestyle and camping for short and weekend jaunts, not necessarily what the Nest consumer will be. It’s design is for traveling to off-road adventures and being outside all day. Basecamp and Nest will be a small-camper-to-ultralite line for Airstream, and it appears that both will be a part of Airstream’s small trailer lineup. These are 2 different types of ultralites; different applications in mind for the 2016/2017 market and consumer. By the way, we’ve heard the Basecamp MSRP starts at $34,900. A steep rise from 2007, but revamped nearly completely. Your question timing is great, as an article about the Basecamp is soon to be published by RT. Stay tuned!

Thunderbuck

This looks really cool, but it looks like Airstream is really crowding the lower end. Nest, Basecamp, and even the 16′ Sport Bambi are going to be cannibalizing each others’ sales.

Moonchalk

This won’t compete with Casita and the like. Too over priced.

STP

where is the bathroom? could care less about a kitchen because the fun of camping is a campfire. but the latrine is never the fun part. where is the bathroom for 30k??? ridiculous.

Karen

Update: Coming early in 2018: The 40-cu ft (1,133-L) wet bathroom includes a Thetford Porta Potti Curve toilet and a Scandvik shower. The greater plumbing system is composed of an Alde space/water heater, 20-US gal (76-l) fresh and grey water tanks, and Shurflo water pump. You’ve got your bathroom.

Brian

Thanks! I was going to jump on that too.

Moonchalk

Porta potties are crap.

Token

30k? lol my god

Karen

Your reaction is well appreciated. It is an Airstream, however, and low pricing has never been part of their main focus. Airstream is not for everyone, unless you go for the well-loved older models which will need some upgrades, and are well-worth the resale value. This Nest is very likely to have a range of pricing. Variations in options are in the works (therefore the delay in releasing), and form and function are being well-thought out with this model, so perhaps there’s a price that suits your budget!

frank

30,000 is outrageous for that

Peter Jaycock

30 grand?? Omg, typical Airstream. No thanks, many better deals out there. C’mon we’re talking “camping”. If I want to blow 30g, there’s a lot more I could get or do with that kind of money. Mic drop.

Kenneth Allen Donaldson

Porta Potty is a deal breaker

AZClaimjumper

Porta Potty or otherwise, you’re going to have to empty the holding tank. I figure that’s the real reason a Porta Potty is a “deal breaker” for you

Moonchalk

You make no sense

capers2

$30k? My wife and I are retired. We would just as soon purchase a used, Mini-Winnie for $5K, tow a vehicle or trike behind it to our destination and spend $25K on gas and fantastic trips…

mia kulper

Absolutely agree . Grossly overpriced.

AZClaimjumper

A Mini Winnie is top tier product with Nationwide support although I think you’ll have have to pay much more than $5K for one that has any life left in it.

The Ronster

I just looked at one, in good shape with 76K miles. well-taken care for…and not much over $5K. The deals are out there if you’re willing to take your time and wait for the opportunity. There are reasonably-priced deals out there. Not everyone rags otu their RV…

AZClaimjumper

DON’T make a bigger one.
Consider a SMALLER one just 13′ long at some point in time.

Theodore29

I’m not crazy about wet showers either, but they work for most of Europe, so it seems minor. Porta-potty? Waste is waste – unless you have a composting toilet you have to be shed of it somehow. The price? Seems inline with other Airstream products and a smart option for people who want lightweight but not the chintzy, butt ugly of most of the existing lightweights. Commentators offended by the $30K sticker – build something in your man cave or go used; I don’t think it’s out of line for a cool design + Airstream quality and can’t wait for the roll out.

Moonchalk

Airstream is just overpriced aluminum.

Cyndi Grant-Zyga

People complaining of the price have obviously never owned an airstream! You GET what you pay for! I currently own a 1973 26 foot airstream that is all still original fridge, stove furnace and all still work perfectly show me any other company trailer in this condition! I do have to replace the green shag rug this year as it is so old it is disintegrating!

Sylvain Sauve

fridge, stove furnace is not made by airstream .

Moonchalk

Don’t confuse Cyndi with facts or logic.

Moonchalk

WRONG Cyndi. I know ALL about molded fiberglass trailers. And this one is not a better deal than a Casita. It IS much more expensive however

Harry Havermout

I suspect there are a lot of old phogies like us who are looking for something like this. It looks interesting.

We don’t wan’t a cumbersome caravan nor the hassle of driving or servicing etc a new motorhome. We had already looked at the smaller towing options but they were generally too small or not high enough quality.

This looks promising: provided that the bed is big enough (I’m 6′, sleep flat on my back dead straight and the bed needs to be big enough to allow for a pillow and not have my feet off the end) and provided the materials it uses don’t leach toxins or irritants. This latter point is a real biggie for us. Removable items like the mattress aren’t such a worry as we’d probably want to swap it for an all natural mattress anyway.

Moonchalk

Then look at a Casita Harry

Skid-lee

Typical fat pricing by Airstream. Take a 15k rv, stamp their name on it and charge 30k.🤣

lewrod

$30,000 will cover a lot of motel nights.

Moonchalk

$30k to start? Sorry, I’d go with an Oliver instead. MUCH more for the money. Or, Go for a 17′ Casita.

They must be after the market of those with more cash than sense.

Donn Burseth

30K? I’ll look for something bigger and less costly before I would drop 30K on this

AZClaimjumper

If the Nest comes with the Truma Combi (Furnace & Hot Water Heater) instead of with the old Attwood water heater & separate furnace; Airstream will definitely have bragging rights on including the very best & latest Furnace/Hot Water heater piece of technology that will give it a definite competitive advantage over Casita or Scamp However, that is a big IF, cause Nest isn’t in production & we don’t know what hot water heater & furnace will be included.